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Climate change and agriculture : a review of impacts and adaptations

TL;DR: The vulnerability of the agricultural sector to both climate change and variability is well established in the literature as discussed by the authors and the general consensus is that changes in temperature and precipitation will result in changes in land and water regimes that will subsequently affect agricultural productivity.
Abstract: The vulnerability of the agricultural sector to both climate change and variability is well established in the literature. The general consensus is that changes in temperature and precipitation will result in changes in land and water regimes that will subsequently affect agricultural productivity. Research has also shown that specifically in tropical regions, with many of the poorest countries, impacts on agricultural productivity are expected to be particularly harmful. The vulnerability of these countries is also especially likely to be acute in light of technological, resource, and institutional constraints. Although estimates suggest that global food production is likely to be robust, experts predict tropical regions will see both a reduction in agricultural yields and a rise in poverty levels as livelihood opportunities for many engaged in the agricultural sector become increasingly susceptible to expected climate pressures
Citations
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Journal Article
TL;DR: In this paper, a documento: "Cambiamenti climatici 2007: impatti, adattamento e vulnerabilita" voteato ad aprile 2007 dal secondo gruppo di lavoro del Comitato Intergovernativo sui Cambiamentsi Climatici (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change).
Abstract: Impatti, adattamento e vulnerabilita Le cause e le responsabilita dei cambiamenti climatici sono state trattate sul numero di ottobre della rivista Cda. Approfondiamo l’argomento presentando il documento: “Cambiamenti climatici 2007: impatti, adattamento e vulnerabilita” votato ad aprile 2007 dal secondo gruppo di lavoro del Comitato Intergovernativo sui Cambiamenti Climatici (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change). Si tratta del secondo di tre documenti che compongono il quarto rapporto sui cambiamenti climatici.

3,979 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A forum to review, analyze and stimulate the development, testing and implementation of mitigation and adaptation strategies at regional, national and global scales as mentioned in this paper, which contributes to real-time policy analysis and development as national and international policies and agreements are discussed.
Abstract: ▶ Addresses a wide range of timely environment, economic and energy topics ▶ A forum to review, analyze and stimulate the development, testing and implementation of mitigation and adaptation strategies at regional, national and global scales ▶ Contributes to real-time policy analysis and development as national and international policies and agreements are discussed and promulgated ▶ 94% of authors who answered a survey reported that they would definitely publish or probably publish in the journal again

2,587 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors reviewed the global impacts of climate change on livestock production, the contribution of livestock production to climate change, and specific climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies in the livestock sector.

741 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors identify the agroecological features that underlie the resilience of traditional agro-ecosystems, as they can serve as the foundation for the design of adapted agricultural systems.
Abstract: Diverse, severe, and location-specific impacts on agricultural production are anticipated with climate change. The last IPCC report indicates that the rise of CO2 and associated “greenhouse” gases could lead to a 1.4 to 5.8 °C increase in global surface temperatures, with subsequent consequences on precipitation frequency and amounts. Temperature and water availability remain key factors in determining crop growth and productivity; predicted changes in these factors will lead to reduced crop yields. Climate-induced changes in insect pest, pathogen and weed population dynamics and invasiveness could compound such effects. Undoubtedly, climate- and weather-induced instability will affect levels of and access to food supply, altering social and economic stability and regional competiveness. Adaptation is considered a key factor that will shape the future severity of climate change impacts on food production. Changes that will not radically modify the monoculture nature of dominant agroecosystems may moderate negative impacts temporarily. The biggest and most durable benefits will likely result from more radical agroecological measures that will strengthen the resilience of farmers and rural communities, such as diversification of agroecosytems in the form of polycultures, agroforestry systems, and crop-livestock mixed systems accompanied by organic soil management, water conservation and harvesting, and general enhancement of agrobiodiversity. Traditional farming systems are repositories of a wealth of principles and measures that can help modern agricultural systems become more resilient to climatic extremes. Many of these agroecological strategies that reduce vulnerabilities to climate variability include crop diversification, maintaining local genetic diversity, animal integration, soil organic management, water conservation and harvesting, etc. Understanding the agroecological features that underlie the resilience of traditional agroecosystems is an urgent matter, as they can serve as the foundation for the design of adapted agricultural systems. Observations of agricultural performance after extreme climatic events (hurricanes and droughts) in the last two decades have revealed that resiliency to climate disasters is closely linked to farms with increased levels of biodiversity. Field surveys and results reported in the literature suggest that agroecosystems are more resilient when inserted in a complex landscape matrix, featuring adapted local germplasm deployed in diversified cropping systems managed with organic matter rich soils and water conservation-harvesting techniques. The identification of systems that have withstood climatic events recently or in the past and understanding the agroecological features of such systems that allowed them to resist and/or recover from extreme events is of increased urgency, as the derived resiliency principles and practices that underlie successful farms can be disseminated to thousands of farmers via Campesino a Campesino networks to scale up agroecological practices that enhance the resiliency of agroecosystems. The effective diffusion of agroecological technologies will largely determine how well and how fast farmers adapt to climate change.

675 citations

Book
01 Jan 2011
TL;DR: The impacts of climate change on the global hydrological cycle are expected to vary the patterns of demand and supply of water for agriculture -the dominant use of freshwater as discussed by the authors, and the implications for local and national food security.
Abstract: The impacts of climate change on the global hydrological cycle are expected to vary the patterns of demand and supply of water for agriculture - the dominant use of freshwater. This report summarizes knowledge of the anticipated impacts of climate change on water availability for agriculture and examines the implications for local and national food security. It analyses expected impact of climate change on a set of major agricultural systems at risk and makes the case for immediate implementation of "no-regrets" strategies which have both positive development outcomes and make agricultural systems resilient. It is hoped that policy makers and planners can use this report to frame their adaptation responses when considering both the water variable in agriculture and the competing demands from other users.

491 citations

References
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Book
01 Jul 2001
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors set the stage for impact, adaptation, and vulnerability assessment of climate change in the context of sustainable development and equity, and developed and applied scenarios in Climate Change Impact, Adaptation, and Vulnerability Assessment.
Abstract: Summary for policymakers Technical summary Part I. Setting the Stage for Impact, Adaptation, and Vulnerability Assessment: 1. Overview 2. Methods and tools 3. Development and application of scenarios in Climate Change Impact, Adaptation, and Vulnerability Assessment Part II. Sectors and Systems: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability: 4. Hydrology and water resources 5. Natural and managed ecosystems 6. Coastal zones and marine ecosystems 7. Energy, industry, and settlements 8. Financial services 9. Human health Part III. Regional Analyses: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability: 10. Africa 11. Asia 12. Australasia 13. Europe 14. Latin America 15. North America 16. Polar regions (Arctic and Antarctic) 17. Small island states Part IV. Global Issues and Synthesis: 18. Adaptation to climate change in the context of sustainable development and equity 19. Synthesis and integration of impacts, adaptation, and vulnerability Index.

12,541 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors propose a method to use the information of the user's interaction with the service provider in order to improve the quality of the service provided to the user.
Abstract: Классическая работа лаурета Нобелевской премии по экономике Пола Самуэльсона, заложившая основу современной теории общественных благ. В статье формулируются условия выбора оптимального объема предоставления общественного блага, ныне присутствующие в любом учебнике микроэкономики и экономики общественного сектора.

6,105 citations

Posted Content
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined why rural-urban labor migration persists and is even increasing in many developing nations despite the existence of positive marginal products in agriculture and significant levels of urban unemployment, and concluded that in the absence of wage flexibility an optimal policy would include both partial wage subsidies or direct government employment and measures to restrict free migration.
Abstract: This study examines why rural-urban labor migration persists and is even increasing in many developing nations despite the existence of positive marginal products in agriculture and significant levels of urban unemployment. Conventional economic models have difficulty reconciling rational behavioral explanations with growing levels of urban unemployment in the absence of absolute labor redundancy in the overall economy. This paper formulates a 2-sector model of rural-urban migration which recognizes the existence of a politically determined minimum urban wage at levels substantially higher than agricultural earnings. The distinguishing feature of the model is that migration proceeds in response to urban-rural differences in expected earnings with the urban employment rate acting as an equilibrating force on such migration. The overall model is used to demonstrate 1) that given the politically determined high minimum wage the continued existence of rural-urban migration in spite of substantial urban unemployment represents an economically rational choice on the part of the individual migrants and 2) that economists standard policy recommendation of generating urban employment opportunities through the use of "shadow prices" implemented by means of wage subsidies or direct government hiring may lead to a worsening of the urban unemployment problem. Welfare implications of alternative policies associated with various programs to retain rural population are assessed under the assumption that the full wage flexibility suggested by economic theory is politically unfeasible; it is concluded that in the absence of wage flexibility an optimal policy would include both partial wage subsidies or direct government employment and measures to restrict free migration. The basic model is a 2-sector internal trade model with unemployment the 2 sectors being the permanent urban sector which specializes in production of manufactured goods and the rural which either uses all available labor to produce agricultural goods or exports part of the labor to the urban sector. It is assumed that the typical migrant retains his ties to the rural sector but the assumption is not necessary for the argument.

5,592 citations

Journal Article
TL;DR: In this paper, a documento: "Cambiamenti climatici 2007: impatti, adattamento e vulnerabilita" voteato ad aprile 2007 dal secondo gruppo di lavoro del Comitato Intergovernativo sui Cambiamentsi Climatici (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change).
Abstract: Impatti, adattamento e vulnerabilita Le cause e le responsabilita dei cambiamenti climatici sono state trattate sul numero di ottobre della rivista Cda. Approfondiamo l’argomento presentando il documento: “Cambiamenti climatici 2007: impatti, adattamento e vulnerabilita” votato ad aprile 2007 dal secondo gruppo di lavoro del Comitato Intergovernativo sui Cambiamenti Climatici (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change). Si tratta del secondo di tre documenti che compongono il quarto rapporto sui cambiamenti climatici.

3,979 citations


"Climate change and agriculture : a ..." refers background in this paper

  • ...IPCC states “the key features of climate change for vulnerability and adaptation are those related to variability and extremes, not simply changed average conditions” (IPCC 2001; Chapter 18)....

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  • ...IPCC (2001) highlights also that insurance programs that are inadequately targeted can foster complacency and, in the worst cases, maladaptation....

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  • ...Both formal and informal, as well as private and public, insurance programs have been discussed as effective measures to help reduce income losses as a result of climaterelated impacts (IPCC 2001)....

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  • ...Both formal and informal, as well as private and public, insurance programs have been discussed as potential mechanisms by which to reduce income losses from climate related impacts (IPCC 2001)....

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  • ...…emerging consensus is that the worst impacts will be in tropical regions (Rosenzweig and others 1993; Mendelsohn 2000; IPCC 2001; Sachs 20034 As a result, experts predict a spatial shift of crops and agricultural practices away from the tropics toward the temperate and polar regions (IPCC 2001)....

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A review of the intergovernmental panel on climate change report on global warming and the greenhouse effect can be found in this paper, where the authors present chemistry of greenhouse gases and mathematical modelling of the climate system.
Abstract: Book review of the intergovernmental panel on climate change report on global warming and the greenhouse effect. Covers the scientific basis for knowledge of the future climate. Presents chemistry of greenhouse gases and mathematical modelling of the climate system. The book is primarily for government policy makers.

3,456 citations